Amnesty After Atrocity?

A compelling read. Richard J. Goldstone former Chief Prosecutor of the UN tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda A very important contribution. Princeton N. Lyman Council on Foreign Relations A powerful reminder that dealing with the legacy of wartime atrocities is not simply a matter of bringing perpetrators to justice. It also means overcoming the divisions within the society and healing the victims. Marina Ottaway Senior Associate Democracy and Rule of Law Project Carnegie Endowment for International Peace In Amnesty after Atrocity? veteran journalist Helena Cobban examines the effectiveness of different ways of dealing with the aftermath of genocide and violence committed during intergroup conflicts. She traveled to Rwanda Mozambique and South Africa to assess the various ways those nations tried to come to grips with their violent past: from war crimes trials to truth commissions to outright amnesties for perpetrators. She discovered that in terms of both moving forward and satisfying the needs of survivors war crimes trials are not the most effective path. This book provides historical context and includes interviews with a cross-section of people: community leaders victims policymakers teachers rights activists and even some former abusers. These first-person accounts create a rich readable text and Cobban's overall conclusions will surprise many readers in the West.